Designers Who Are Mastering Menswear

Narrow silhouettes, skinny ties and ankle-grazing trousers are dominating the menswear world for these brands

by Andrea Cheng | January 9, 2019 11:00 am

The very essence of Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen’s minimalist clothing label The Row[1] can be traced not to a person or mood, but to one particular street in London. Famous for bespoke tailoring, Savile Row not only inspired the brand name, but also instilled important design codes—clean lines, precise fits, excellent fabrics, superior craftsmanship—for which The Row is known. It was only a matter of time before the Olsens extended the same thoughtful design to menswear. After launching previous capsules, this collection marks The Row’s first full men’s range of coats, jackets, shirting, knitwear, denim, and t-shirts, all of which act as supplements to the main offering: updated traditional suiting reminiscent of the ’80s and ’90s.

Hand-stitched using traditional European techniques and made in Japan to ensure a light yet luxurious streamlined construction, the tailored pieces are meant to feel at once airy and resilient. Noteworthy pieces include a single-breasted suit jacket that’s cut without back vents for a more relaxed fit and high-rise, straight-leg trousers that boast a handmade waistband and a machine- and hand-stitched seat seam.

The Row’s first full menswear collection.

A look ahead at the Spring/Summer 2019 season indicates that a surge of designers have also begun to tap into the men’s market, with the most prominent being Celine. Under the direction of new artistic, creative, and image director Hedi Slimane, the new Celine[2] is unlike anything that Phoebe Philo had masterminded during her 10-year-long tenure at the helm, resembling a collection that’s remarkably similar to that of Slimane’s Saint Laurent and, before that, his legacy at Dior Homme. Nevertheless, he introduced Celine’s first-ever men’s line, which featured narrow silhouettes done in Slimane’s image, comprising high-rise, ankle-grazing trousers, sharp jackets, skinny ties, and studded ankle boots. The overall effect: an after-party, rock ’n’ roll vibe all wrapped up in an indelibly cool, laissez-faire attitude.